'Planned to kill as many as possible'

By SAM PAZZANO, COURTS BUREAU

Thu, July 15, 2004

A MAN who allegedly planned to kill as many Toronto citizens "as possible" before committing suicide has had his psychiatric assessment delayed, court heard yesterday. With his hands in the pockets of his prison-issue orange jump suit and sporting a goatee, James Paul Stanson, 43, appeared briefly yesterday in a courtroom reserved for people with mental health issues.

Two weeks ago, a judge ordered the Sackville, N.B., resident to undergo a 30-day psychiatric assessment. But that assessment, which will determine whether Stanson's fit to stand trial, wasn't finished because he wasn't admitted into the hospital until eight days ago.

Crown attorney Margaret Creal asked Justice Peter Hryn to extend the 30-day period by four days to enable a psychiatrist to complete his review. Stanson was remanded in custody until July 28 to face eight weapons-related charges.

RETURN TO COURT IN 14 DAYS

"The psychiatrist, Dr. Phil Klassen, hasn't had sufficient time to assess him, so he'll return in 14 days," said duty counsel Joseph Wright, who was acting as Stanson's lawyer.

The Crown was seeking Stanson's detention noting "apparently this gentleman planned to kill as many citizens as possible in Toronto before finally committing suicide."

It's alleged that Stanson, a former corrections officer who grew up in Ontario and attended the University of Waterloo before moving east, arrived in the Beaches with a huge arsenal bent on a killing spree. But a meeting with a friendly dog changed his mind and he turned himself in.

 

 

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